Cartridge-loading implement



(No ModeL) O. F. LOUDON.

CARTRIDGE LOADING IMPLEMENT. No. 310,295. F Patented gain. 6, 1885.

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UNrTnn STATES ATENT @FFTCE.

CHARLES F. LOUDON, OF CINCIXNATI, OHIO.

CARTRIDGE-LOADING IMPLEMENT.

EDECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 310,295, dated January 6, 1885.

Application filed January .21, 1864.

T0 aZZ whom it may concern;

Be it known that I, CHARLES F. LOUDON, a resident of the city of Cincinnati, in the county of Hamilton and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Devices for Loading Cartridges, of which the following is a specification.

Myimprovements, in general, relate to that class of cartridge-loaders which are particularly adapted for loading one cartridge at a time.

The various features of my invention and the several advantages resulting from their use, conjointly or otherwise, will be apparent from the following description.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a side elevation of cartridgeloading mechanism embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is an elevation of the front end of the mechanism, this front end being that end which is at the left hand in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 represents a vertical central'section of said mechanism, said section being taken from front to rear and in the plane indicated by the dotted line 00 w of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 represents a transverse section of the preferred form of bed and connection to the upright carrying the ramrod, and taken at the dotted line 3/ 9 of Fig. 1. Fig. 5 represents a vertical central longitudinal section of the preferred form of device for holding in position the lower end of the cartridge, and of a portion of the bed to which the said device may be connected, this section being taken in a plane passing through the dotted lines w 00 of Fig. 2. The preceding figures are made on a scale of about one-third working size. Fig. 6 represents a vertical central sectional View of the guide for introducing powder,wads, and shot into the cartridge-shell, and also of a part of the spring-connection of the guide,this figurebeingshownon ascaleofabout Fig. 7 is a plan View of the guide for receiving and holding the bottom of the cartridge-shell while said shell is being loaded, this figure being shown on a scale of about half working size. Fig. 8 represents a device for decapping, to be used in connection with other features of my invention.

A indicates the bed of the machine. This bed may be of any suitable material and be stationary. It is, however, desirable that it (X0 model.)

be portable, and it is preferably constructed of thin metal cast or struck up so as to be hollow beneath, excepting at its edges, 1), which, in whole or in part, are preferably vertical, to form the legs or support for the plate portion a of the machine. Upon this bed the cartridgeshell is placed upright beneath the vertical ramrod B. This ramrod is suitablysupported, the preferred mode of support being an upright orsupport, G, secured to the bed A, and a mode of stronglysecuring the ramrod from slipping on the bed consists in providing the bottom 0 of the upright with a tongue or lug, d, which enters a slot, at, in thebed, and thus engages the latter. A screw, f, or equivalent device, secures the brace C to the bed. The broad bottom 0 of the brace assists in preventing the supportO from swaying. At its upper portion this support 0 is provided with a guide, D, and this guide is so constructed as to well prevent all deflection of the ramrod in its descentinto the cartridge-shell. To accomplish this object the guide may be made of some length, or preferably, as shown, may consist of two short guide hearings or eyes, D D, placed at a distance apart and connected to the upright support 0. Through this guide D the ramrod is free to reciprocate. The head 9 of the ramrod forms a convenient stop to prevent the ramrod from rising too high or coming out of its guide. A suitable spring, E, keeps the ramrod raised when not in use, and a preferred form of such spring consists of a coiled one encircling the upper portion of the ramrod and pressing against the upper end of the guide D, and a stop near the upper end of the ramrod. The knob Fmay serve as such stop, as shown. This knob F is primarily designed as the handle of the rammer, and is preferably attached to the ramrod by a screwconnection, h. Such a connection enables the knob to be quickly removed from the ramrod, and the latter to be withdrawn from the guide D. Directly above where the top of the cartridge-shell would come when placed in position is located a powder, wad, and shot guide, G. This guide is interiorlyprovided with a shoulder, 75, preferably located in its lower portion. (See Fig. 6.) Directly below this shoulder the diameter of the orifice Z of the guide is substantially the same as the exterior diameter of the cartridge-shells to be filled. From below the shoulder the tube interiorly flares away, and is provided with flare m, so that the lower edge of orifice Z is much enlarged. This enlargement enables the mouth (open end) of the cartridge-shell to be readily introduced into the lower end of the guide G and carried up against the shoulder is. The upper portion of orifice Z likewise has a flare, n-that is to say, enlarges from the neck just above the shoulder up to the upper edge of the guide. This flaring opening is provided in order to enable the person loading the cartridge to readily introduce awad or wads into the guide G, and also to pour powder and shot at will into the guide G without spilling the same. This guide is supported by a springconnection. This connection preferably consists of a flat spring or elastic plate, H. This plate is suitably supported. A convenient mode of support consists in attaching it to the upright supporting-piece O in the following manner: The end of the fiat spring H is provided with a flange, H, bent up or down and resting against the front side of the brace. Through an opening in this flange passes a set-screw or bolt, I, screwed into the brace, or receiving a nut at the end opposite the head.

For keeping thevertical center of the guide always in line with the true vertical, and preventing the guide from twisting as the ramrod passes into it and drives down the wad, one of the many suitable devices which can be employed consists of the pin J ,which passes through an Openingin the flange at a distance from the set-screw I.

As it is desirable to set the guide G at a higher or lower vertical position to enable it to be conveniently used with cartridge-shells of different lengths, the openings through which the pin J and the set-screw I, respectively, pass should be in the form of slots whose length is vertical. For convenience and economy I place the pin and set-screw in vertical line and consolidate the slotted openings, forming a single slot, K, as shown. v By loosen ing the set'screw the guide may be raised or lowered to the desired height, and so that when the cartridge-shell stands upon the bed and beneath the ramrod the shoulder k of the guide shall rest upon the upper edge of the shell. The setscrew is now tightened and the guide G and plate H secured in position.

For preventing the cartridge-shell from rising from the bed while being loaded, and more particularly while the ramrod is rising out of the shell, a suitable device is to be employed. Avery advantageous one for this purpose,and one of my invention, is the one shown, and is as follows, viz: Itconsists of a guideway, L, having opening M,whose sides N are each provided with a flare, T. (See Fig. 7 These sides gradually approach each other, as shown until at rear they are apart only the distance of the exterior diameter of the cartridge-shell. The

back end of the opening M is preferably rounded, the better to fit the rounded surface of the cartridgeshell. The guideway L is suitably secured in place. It is preferably attached to the bed, as shown, by screws Z Z. The bed A, or preferably the guideway L, is, as shown, provided with a guide, V, projecting from theinner partof the sides and end of the guideway. The lower edge of each of the front ends of this guide V is curved upward, (has a bevel, V,) as shown in Figs. 5, 2, and 3. As the cartridge-shell is introduced into the mouth of guide-opening M, the bottom of the shell preferably touching the bed A, the shell is inclined so that its upper end comes below the bottom of the guide G. The upper end of the shell'is then carried up ward into this guide until its upper edge comes against the shoulder k of the guide. The bottom of the shell is then moved into the opening M of the guideway L until the shell impinges against the rear end of opening M. As the bottom of the shell passes into the opening M the usual flange, u, on the bottom or rear end of the shell passes under the edge of the guide V. The powder, &c., guide G now holds the top" of the shell secure from lateral displacement. The spring H presses the guide Gsecnrely down upon the shell, and, pressing the bottom of the shell against the bed A, assists in preventing lateral displacement of the bottom portion of the shell in every direction. The sides and rear end of the opening M of the guideway L prevent lateral displacement of the bottom of the shell, either rearwardly or sidewise, and the flange-guide V prevents vertical movement of the shell upward, and the bed A prevents vertical movement of the shell downward. A hole, V, is preferably present in the bed at the point where the central or cap portion of the shell comes when in position in the guideway, in order that when the ramrod is driving the wad into the shell the cap of the latter may not be exploded by forcibly coming in contact with the bed A.

As much of the mode of operation of the devices specified has already been described, the following general description will suffice: The guide G having been set, as aforementioned, at the desired height and the upper end of the shell introduced into it, and the lower end of the shell having been placed, as

aforementioned, in the guide L, the flange of the bottom of the shell being under the guide V, the shell is now securely held in position. The requisite load of powder is now introduced into the shell by pouring it into the upper end of the opening '2 in guide G. \Vad or wads are now placed in the upper end of the opening Z in said guide G, and by a blow (or continued pressure, if preferred)of the hand the ramrod is depressed, and the wad or wads are driven through the guide G and into the shell and down upon the powder. here two wads are to be placed on the powder, if for any purpose it is desired to seat one at a time,

this can be done by driving one wad home, and then introducing the second wad to the guide and in turn seating it. The desired charge of shot or bullets is nextintrod need into the shell by passing the same into the upper end of the opening Z of the guide (l, and the charge then drops through said opening into the shell. in the upper part of the opening I of the guide, and a blow of the ramrod seats this wad within the shell over theshot. Theshellis now withdrawn by drawing its bottom portion out of the guide L, and then its upper portion from the guide G. In this manner any desired number of shells can be successively loaded with great facility and expedition.

\"Vhen desired, the ramrod and the devices for holding and for retracting it may be omitted, and the guide G may still be very advantageously used for theint rodnct ion of the powder, wad or wads, shot, and final wad. the wads being driven home by a separate little hand-ramrod.

My device maybe conveniently used i'ordecapping shells by attaching a decapper to the end of the rai'nrod. A convenient device for this purpose consists as follows: it indicates the body, whose edges preferably tapcr,so that the diameter of said body gradually decreases I and the guideway L, having sides approachfrom top to bottom. This body is provided at bottom with theusual dccapping-point, The deoapper is to be connected at will to the lower end of the ramrod in any suitable inanner. Aconvenicntmodeisast'ollows:Thebody R is ceni'i-rally provided at top with a screw, It. In the bottom of the ramrod is formed female screw, It", and when it is desired to use the decapper the screw it is screwed into the female screw R" of the ramrod. Depression of the ramrod operates to drive the decapper into the shell and bring the decapping-point against the cap of the shell, and the latter will be forced from its seatinthe shell and will fall through hole. When the bed is raised on sides 0, as heretofore described, the space below the bed will afford a convenient space for receiving the exploded caps as they are successively removed from their respecti ve shells.

While the various features of my invention a The usual wad may now be placed are preferably employedtogether, one or more of said features are, when desired, to be em ployed without the others. So. also. one or more of said features maybe employed, solar as applicable, in connection with loading devices other than those herein specifically dcscribed.

What I claim as new and of my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination of the hollow guide G for the charge in loading, located above the bed on which cartridgeshell rests, and adapted to receive the upper end of the cartridgeshell, and a standard, and the elastic or spring connection between the said standard and the guide, forming the immediate support of the said guide, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

2. 'l.hc combination of a bed and guide, it, having opening Z from its middle portion, enlarging toward its upper and lower ends, and having an interior shoulder, 7., and the elastic connection H, suitably upheld, and a supportingstandard, the guide G being connected to the standard bythis elasticcon11ection,substantially as and for the purposes specified.

3.5. lhe combination of the guide (It for the charge in loading, and adapted to receive the upper end of the cartridge-shell, while the lower end of the shell rests upon a suitable bed below, uprights C, and spring-plate H, tlange ll, having slotli, set-screw I, and pin .l',substantially as and for the purposes specilied.

4-. The combination of the guide G, springplat.e H, flange 11, having slot- K, Set-screw 1',

pin J, and upright 0, provided with lug or tongue (1 and set-screw and the bed A, having slot d, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

5. In a cartridge-holder, a base or bed and the guideway L, whose sides approach each other, said guideway L communicating with the guideway 'V, substantially circular, 6X-

ccpt where it is open to guideway L, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

(3. In a cartridge-holder, the base or bed iug each other, and the guideway V, communicating with gnideway L, and provided with an overlapping ilange or edge, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

7. In a cartridgeholder, a base or bed and the 'guideway L, whose sides approach each other, and connnunicating with the guideway Y, substantially circular, except where it is open to gnidcway L, and provided at its upper edge with a flange adapted to overlap the flange ot' the closed end of the shell, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

In a cartridge-holder, a base or bed and the guideway L, whose sides approach each other, and connnunicating with the guideway Y, substantially circular, exceptwhcre it is open to guideway L, and provided at its upper edge with a flange adapted to overlap the flange ot' the closed end of the shell, each forward end of said flange of the guideway being inclined outward and upward in a bevel, Y, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

9. The combination of a device for holding the upper end of the cartridge-shell, and the guideway L, and partially-circular guideway V,communieating with guideway L, the sides of guideway L approaching each other and terminating in the guideway V, having upper inward]y-extending flange provided with bev elcd endsV, substantially as and for the purposes specitied.

10. The combination of the guideway L and partiallycircula r guideway V,con1niunicating with gnideway L, the sides of guideway L ap proaching each other and terminating in the guideway V, having upper inwardly-extending flange provided with. beveled ends V,

and guideway G, supported on an elastic connection, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

11. The combination of the guide G for the charge in loading,having vertical central opening, Z, provided withupper flare, n, and lower flare, m, and shoulder k, located at the upper end of flare m, the guide being adapted to receive in its lower portion, as far up as shoulder k, the upper end of the cartridge shell, and the guideway L, for receiving the lower end of the cartridge-shell, the approaching sides of said guideway L being connected to the adjacent ends of guide V, closed at rear, and having a circular outwardly-extending upper flange, terminating in beveled ends V, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

12. In combination, the bed provided with guideway L and guideway V, upright 0, guide G, having compound funnel-opening Z, and having shoulder k, and the spring-connection H between the guide and upright C, the latter provided with guide D, and rainrod and spring, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

13. In combination, the bed provided with guideway L and guideway V, upright 0, guide G, having compound funnel-opening Z,

and having shoulder is, and the spring-connection H between the guide and upright O, the latter provided with guide D and ramrod B, and a decapper, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

14. In combination, the bed provided with guideway L and guideway V, upright G, guide G, having compound funnel-opening Z, and having shoulder 70, and the spring-connection H between the guide and upright O, the latter provided with guide D and ramrod, provided at its lower end with female screw, and the decapper consisting of portion R, having screw at one side and decappingpoint S at the other, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

15. The combination of the ramrod, decapper, upright 0, guide G, raised bed A, having guideway L, and guideway V, communicating together, the gumleway V having inwardly overlapping or overhanging flange terminating in inclined ends V, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

CHAS. F. LOUDON.

\Vi tn esses:

.TNo. WV. STREHLI, O. M. HILL. 

